Racine parade watchers brave the heat

The biggest 4th of July parade in Wisconsin, despite the heat, entertained almost 100,000 along the lakefront in Racine.

An organizer says all scheduled participants were there: bands, floats and animals. “Everyone stuck it out. They were a trooper and they walked all the way down the parade route,” says Carrie Glenn, chair of the parade committee.

Parade watcher Steve Miller said the Racine event is always special, but admitted to leaving early because “the heat got the best of me.”

City Administrator Tom Friedel said he couldn’t remember a 4th of July that was as hot.

An eight-year-old boy fell off a church float and was run over by the trailer but was not seriously hurt. Otherwise, it was mostly heat-related responses. Mayor John Dickert praised all the first responders for their efforts at public safety.